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Author Topic: ms14a only turning on one light  (Read 3104 times)

kimnach

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ms14a only turning on one light
« on: September 14, 2006, 10:12:01 AM »

I just purchased my first motion sensor and have a bit of a problem.  The hardware includes a tm751 (house code O), ms14a (O3), and three socket rockets (O3 and two at O4).  One socket rocket controls the side entry light of an outbuilding, and the other two are for the lights on either side of the garage door.  The MS14a is above the side entry door, and the TM751 is inside the outbuilding within 10feet of the MS14a.  Reception for the 751 is not a problem.

My computer and CM15 are in the basement of the house and the AHP software/interface does see the sensor (green animated circles), which has a simple macro coded for it:

     Motion O3 --> turn ON SocketRocket O3 --> wait 3 seconds --> turn ON S.R. O4 --> wait 5 minutes --> turn OFF all Ox

It seems, however, that the MS14a is turning on the 03 socket rocket directly via the 751 (i.e., not via the software/cm15).  I have also tried swapping the order of the socket rockets in the macro and had the same result.

I have not yet changed the ms14a (and the macro) to O1 to see if the socket rocket(s) turn on; however, I should not have to do this.  BTW, I can control the lights directly via the AHP software interface so it's not a phase problem.  (I have a 4823 LEVITON 2-PHASE X10 AMPLIFIED COUPLER/REPEATER installed at the distribution panel.)

Macros should allow control of any House/Unit code device regardless of the motion sensor HC/UC.  Any suggestions for why the macro, which is downloaded to the interface, may not be working? 

thanks.
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Charles Sullivan

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Re: ms14a only turning on one light
« Reply #1 on: September 14, 2006, 10:52:49 AM »

I just purchased my first motion sensor and have a bit of a problem.  The hardware includes a tm751 (house code O), ms14a (O3), and three socket rockets (O3 and two at O4).  One socket rocket controls the side entry light of an outbuilding, and the other two are for the lights on either side of the garage door.  The MS14a is above the side entry door, and the TM751 is inside the outbuilding within 10feet of the MS14a.  Reception for the 751 is not a problem.

My computer and CM15 are in the basement of the house and the AHP software/interface does see the sensor (green animated circles), which has a simple macro coded for it:

  Motion O3 --> turn ON SocketRocket O3 --> wait 3 seconds --> turn ON S.R. O4 --> wait 5 minutes --> turn OFF all Ox

It seems, however, that the MS14a is turning on the 03 socket rocket directly via the 751 (i.e., not via the software/cm15).  I have also tried swapping the order of the socket rockets in the macro and had the same result.

I have not yet changed the ms14a (and the macro) to O1 to see if the socket rocket(s) turn on; however, I should not have to do this.  BTW, I can control the lights directly via the AHP software interface so it's not a phase problem.  (I have a 4823 LEVITON 2-PHASE X10 AMPLIFIED COUPLER/REPEATER installed at the distribution panel.)

Macros should allow control of any House/Unit code device regardless of the motion sensor HC/UC.  Any suggestions for why the macro, which is downloaded to the interface, may not be working? 

thanks.

You may be getting signal collisions on the powerline.  The motion detectors will send a second signal on O4 from their Dawn/Dusk detector.  If nothing else you should program the second two SocketRockets to an address other than O4.

Another possible problem is that both the CM15A and the TM751 are receiving the RF from the motion sensor and transmitting on the powerline.  What happens if you unplug the TM751?

The CM15A _should_ wait for a clear powerline before transmitting, but I've experienced a startup bug in at least some units where it doesn't.  Try this:  Unplug the CM15A from the wall and remove the batteries (one will do - they're in series).  Replace the batteries, plug in again, and re-download your macros.


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Today it doesn't work.
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kimnach

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Re: ms14a only turning on one light
« Reply #2 on: September 14, 2006, 11:24:45 AM »


You may be getting signal collisions on the powerline.  The motion detectors will send a second signal on O4 from their Dawn/Dusk detector.  If nothing else you should program the second two SocketRockets to an address other than O4.

Another possible problem is that both the CM15A and the TM751 are receiving the RF from the motion sensor and transmitting on the powerline.  What happens if you unplug the TM751?

The CM15A _should_ wait for a clear powerline before transmitting, but I've experienced a startup bug in at least some units where it doesn't.  Try this:  Unplug the CM15A from the wall and remove the batteries (one will do - they're in series).  Replace the batteries, plug in again, and re-download your macros.

Quote


thanks,
1)  I'll try a different address for the second two SRs.
2)  I forgot to mention that if I change the 751 house code or unplug it, then the cm15a does not see the ms14a (O3) sensor and the SR O3 does not turn on.  The cm15a is just too far away and obstructed for it to receive an rf signal directly from the MS14a.  This further reinforces my thought that the 751 is "directly controlling" the SR O3.
3)  I'll try to reinitialize the CM15a

Thanks again,
greg
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